U.S. Supreme Court says federal agents can cut wire fences at Texas border

Name: WORLD
Price range: $

Razor wire lines the path as members of Congress tour an area near the Texas-Mexico border earlier this month. Associated Press/Photo by Eric Gay, file

U.S. Supreme Court says federal agents can cut wire fences at Texas border

On Monday, the Supreme Court in a 5-4 vote granted the Biden administration’s request to vacate the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals injunction. The move permits U.S. Border Patrol agents to remove razor wire placed by Texas state officials along the border between Texas and Mexico. Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Clarence Thomas dissented. Last year, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the federal government after federal border agents removed wire fencing along the border. A lower appeals court had banned federal officers from removing the wire.

Why did the justices side with the Biden administration? The Supreme Court did not give any reasons for its decision. In the application to vacate the injunction, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar argued that federal agents should be able to remove the wire fencing, as it can impede their ability to monitor and stop unauthorized border crossings.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report in WORLD Magazine about the effects of undocumented border crossings on ranchers and business owners.